I did the easy parts already, the ears, the back, and the dome, and vacuformed the pieces. What i plan on doing then with the styrene shell is to backfill it with plaster (something tougher than dried clay), and sanding, filling, and doing the final touches for a final form.

SO...

Now, I'm doing the faceplate....

I think I'm doing ok for a rough form. I've got 5 teeth, and the little detail in the teardrop (which is a little pill-shaped feature inside the little teardrop, something discussed elsewhere in the boards). As of right now, I know i have to:

1. REDO the teardrop. the bottom needs to be parallel!
2. Look at the teeth a little closer. i think i need to adjust the spacing.

So, here's the faceplate:

using my AP helmet as a guide, and some pics from the internet, i managed to get this much done!

hot, greasy, and smooth. this is my first plaster casting experience!!

the ears are gonna be tough to bring back, but it can be done.
the face is going to be pretty tough as well to get all the details back, and make it better again.
the back and dome will be VERY easy...

well, with that said, anybody have any suggestions on how the trooper faceplate should look?

Very nice going! I can't wait to see the result of the re-shaping of the plaster casts. As you're a fan of my work, I'm SO a fan of your AMAZING work.

BTW, if I may give you a suggestion....try to add more flare to the forehead area, probably like an inch or inch and a half, that way it has something to grab when it's assembled with the dome piece, which you could trim after that as necessary, and give an option of assembling either the LUKE (HERO) version, or the more traditional (STUNT) version, which only difference is the distance from the "eyebrow" to the top of the eyes.

Also, give more outward filling to the area where the neck should be and the top of the head after the "flare" of the forehead on the faceplate, it could be easier to take out of the mold in a way, just to prevent the webbing or "wrinkling" of the plastic in the corners, which is my goal.

If anyone understands and knows of what I've just said or trying to say, please feel free to comment. No offense taken here, just for educational purposes to each other.

Thanks, DarthVader1. I was planning on adding those bits to the tops and bottoms of the molds, and I'm going to need to add a TON of plaster/bondo to these parts. Ive already REdone one of the ears because the ear detailing was unsalvagable... LOL. But in the end, I hope it'll look nice. I know that the dome, back and ears are the easier parts... It's just the faceplate. Right now, I have a VERY VERY rough idea in plaster... just ready to be... massacred over and over with bondo, plaster, glue, wood, saws, chisels, and sandpaper... LOL. The face is going to be a challange...

I'll have to post pics when I get the chance.... _________________-Alex

This is just a rough cast. I'm working as we speak to sharpen and refine details. I'm down to the face, now. I should really post pics of this, this is kinda old and needs updating... _________________-Alex

Before anything, and just to clarify about the plaster....I use HYDRO-STONE...better than any other plaster out there.

This is a really complicated process, which probably you have to make multiple molds/casts in order to do a very accurate and convincing helmet.

As I've read in another forum (TDH perhaps???) stating that the most important thing in a costume when you're wearing a mask/helmet....is definitely THE HELMET. Once people see the face (which has to be as accurate as possible), they will look up and down, but if you don't have a "recognizable face", regardless of how good or bad the rest is looking like, people will criticize about it either in a good way or bad way.

For my ROBOTO project, I WILL have to go to that process since it's not 100% accurate yet; reshaping the molds according to previous results, and sanding/sealing imperfections before vacuuforming. He's just doing a TEST with what he has so far done with the helmet sculpt....OBVIOUSLY he won't be making a helmet out of something so rough in shape.

Now, TK-109.....are you doing the vacuuforming in ABS or HIPS? Just curious.

BTW, nice going, since I'm planning in making ANH armor molds soon as soon as I finish my ROBOTO project (for me to make a SANDTROOPER in the near future). _________________Robert
BH/TK/TB/TS 060